There fell solemnly from a recent Saturday edition of a Canadian newspaper a well-printed, stapled booklet of 50 pages, on magazine stock, called Corporate Knights. Wishing to know more about contemporary Canadian business leaders, I started leafing through it, and shortly came across a peppy message from the publisher — with an accompanying photo that showed her to be a pleasant and purposeful-seeming youngish woman. Beside her was a declaration that any contributor whose writing was found to be influenced by an advertiser would be dismissed.
The magazine is a quarterly and has a staff of 25 named people, including interns, and didn’t have much advertising. I am quite familiar with the commercial economics of publishing periodicals, and this one would require heavy subsidization. I surmised this was partly accounted for by the advice that some research and reporting received “the financial support of Industry Canada.”
Persevering determinedly through my edition, I quickly discovered an article entitled “A Roundtable, a Feast, and a Chivalrous Scientist.” The gracious man of science being profilled was none other than James Lovelock, “world-renowned scientist and originator of the Gaia hypothesis.”
It was at this point that I began to suffer glottal stops. Gaia is billed by its author as “a complex entity involving the Earth’s biosphere, atmosphere, oceans and soil; the totality constituting a feedback or cybernetic system, which seeks an optimal physical and chemical environment for life on this planet.” This isn’t a scientific formulation at all; it’s just a cargo cult-level platitude counseling against excessive spoliation of resources.
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That is a very good column today by Conrad on the eco-terrorists and he names the UN , Gore , Soros , Obama/Pelosi.
Temperatures have not changed in the last eight years; and the polar ice cap, rising oceans horror stories have been scientifically debunked.
Australia and New Zealand have rolled back their carbon taxes.
Obama and Pelosi are seeing 10% unemployment and yet they are still implementing this cap and trade income redistribution scam which will send them down the same hole as Dion.
No question about it… Conrad has a definite way with words…
All of this begs the question… why is Industry Canada sponsoring such a publication?
Didnt Black sell his newspaper to a ‘lefty’ family?
In 2000/2001, Hollinger (Black’s company) sold the majority of it’s holdings to the Can-West Group, which is majority owned by the Asper family who used to be staunch Liberals under their now-deceased patriach, Izzy. Since then, one of the Aspers, David (executive VP of CanWest) supported Peter Kent (Conservative) in his successful bid for election in the 2006 election.
So, what exactly does that have to do with anything, UV? Am I missing something??
Conrad Black likes lefties when it comes to using their money. A little hypocritical but thats OK as Black is known for using someone elses money except this time he got caught.
UV
Nice try at the drive by smear but since you opened your mouth you´ve quickly proven two things. First you really have no clue as to what Black´s trial was all about but you lob out your infantile judgement nevertheless; second you quickly reveal not only your bias but your hatred (on so many levels like conservatives, profit, corporations, free enterprise). US Prosecutors often have political agendas and Black was an easy and timely target. Mail fraud? Hadn´t been used in decades in the US courts. Obstruction of justice, mail fraud. The boxes he removed from his office in Toronto? The Prosecutor already had copies of all of those in Chicago. It was grandstanding and most Canuck media gladly sold him down the river despite the facts. By the way non-competes are perfectly legal in Canada eh and widely used in the US but you and many others just like to have any reasoning to bust the chops of anyone who resides on the other side of your political spectrum. Non-competes. I sell my donut shop to you for a good price but to ensure that I don´t open another donut shop right away on your street you put in another rider measure to ensure you have some exclusivity for awhile. Such a bad man eh. Ever heard of being railroaded?
Conrad Black got what he deserved and it must be right caused the American courts said so. Gee, that video of him taking out boxes of ‘evidence’ from his property sure looks convincing. Then there was that time he raided one of his employees pension fund and was forced to return it by the Canadian Court.
Yup, he sure likes using someone elses money.
Whoa.
Broadside!
I have a mental image of the HMS UV slowly sinking beneath the waves.
You get rich by using other peoples money, ask Trump.
Say what you like about Conrad, but never say he cannot write. I have been reading his NP contributions for many months and have never been disappointed. He may have deserved a fine and/or probation for his poor judgment but no jail time. He should be let out if he promises to write a column a week until his sentence has been served.
Interestingly enough, those “boxes” weren’t seized as evidence so what he was taking was (gasp!!) his own property! When they asked him to return the boxes (gasp!!) he did so! While the video made wonderful theatre, the reality is Conrad Black wasn’t doing anything wrong.
Without the tainted evidence of his former friend, Conrad Black would have walked free. As his appeal works it’s way through the courts, it’ll be interesting to see where it all ends up.
E.J., if you have the interest, Conrad’s email is at the end of his articles and he does respond although he’s not always able to do so in a timely manner.
Strange that a republican like Bush Jr in his final days wouldnt grant Black a pardon.
I have the impression Dubya’s final days were somewhat occupied, what with “the surge” in Iraq and the banking system of the nation & many of the major industries going up in flames.
The CBC should be sold to Conrad Black for a dollar, he could make it into something worth watching.
As for ‘Industry’ Canada using the money taken from our paycheques to publish drivel about leftist fools and blowhards – the Industry Canada person who authorized giving our money away should be fired.
Conrad Black, like Ignatieff are both ‘Canadians of convenience’ as Black tossed aside his Canadian citizenship for a British title. At least Iggy retained his after being out of the country for some thirty five years only returning for a shot at the title, HM PM.
A pox on both their houses.
“Strange that a republican like Bush Jr in his final days wouldnt grant Black a pardon.”
You only get the pardon if you admit guilt. He’s not guilty.
Ditto with Scoter Libby who was put away by the same judge (Fitzgerald) for the ridiculous charge of “exposing” Valerie Plame as a spy in the CIA ..but she had a desk job, she was a beautiful blonde woman difficult not to notice, not under a Burberry Burka … all the Washington apparatchiks knew what Valerie did and it wasn’t undercover, it was wide open. Her husband Joe Wilson joked about it regularly at cocktail parties.
Susan above has this one nailed.
Canadians of convenience? That’s an interesting take on the situation.
As I recall, Conrad Black was offered peerage by the British House of Lords. As a Canadian citizen, Black requested permission from the government of the day to accept this honour.
The Prime Minister, a petty little weasel named Chretien, refused to grant permission to Black. Gee, I wonder why that was? I don’t suppose Chretien was misusing his power to punish an extremely successful citizen for the “sin” of not being a Liberal? Naw… no Prime Minister would ever be that vindictive… Can you imagine such a thing?
Susan- Beautiful take!
The end result was that for Conrad Black getting into an old boys club was more important than his citizenship.
If Conrad were Mohammad Iqbal and dropped his citizenship to get into some Muslim Brotherhood there would be no debate here.
Plus he got a very nice red robe to go with the job. Gee, I wonder now that hes a convicted felon, will he have to give up his English title and nice red robe?